The Future
by halcyondaze
Summary: Washu uses her time machine to allow everyone to see their futures and they find that even in the future their lives are intertwined by fate.
1. An Introduction

The Future - Chapter 1: An Introduction  
  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer: Tenchi & the girls belong to Pioneer Entertainment, AIC, and TV Tokyo (who should consider the idea of a 3rd OAV ::wink, wink::). I don't own them and I'm not entirely sure I would want to. Okay, I would want to, but I don't. That's how life is sometimes, ya know?  
  
Author's Note: To the person who had the nerve to threaten me if I read your stories again...it would be helpful to know who you are so I know who to avoid. You didn't bother to give me your name when you threatened me.  
  
To everyone else: I'm starting a new series! Yay me. I hope you guys like this one as much as the ones in the past.  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 1: AN INTRODUCTION  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Tenchi was tired. The night before, the girls had kept him up all night with the karaoke machine. Finally, around the break of dawn Ryoko, Aeka, Washu, and Kiyone finally passed out drunk and Tenchi quietly stepped around the already sleeping forms of Sasami, Ryo-Ohki, and Mihoshi. Right now, he had no desire to get up and go plow the fields. In fact, he didn't even want to open his eyes.  
  
Eventually, Tenchi rolled out of bed and picked himself up off the floor. He could hear people moving around downstairs. The sounds of voices...female voices. More particularly Ryoko, Aeka, Kiyone, and Mihoshi. Ryo-Ohki and Sasami were probably in the kitchen making breakfast and avoiding whatever was happening in the living room. Tenchi couldn't understand what was being said. Although he knew, as he got dressed, that he would find out soon enough.  
  
"My hangover is all *your* fault Ryoko!" Aeka's voice was clearly identifiable as Tenchi opened his bedroom door.  
  
"*My* fault? I don't remember pouring two and a half bottles of sake down your throat!" Ryoko said in her defense.  
  
"Why don't both of you just sit down and be quiet...please." Kiyone said, most likely dealing with her own hangover.  
  
Tenchi simply sighed and closed his bedroom door and started for the stairs. This was going to be a long day.  
  
"You were trying to give me alcohol poisoning so you would have Lord Tenchi all to yourself!" Aeka screamed.  
  
Ryoko only scoffed loudly.  
  
"If I was worried that you were any competition, then I would have incinerated you by now, Princess. I wouldn't waste my time with alcohol poisoning."  
  
"Ryoko...Aeka. Stop it please." Mihoshi pleaded.  
  
Tenchi slowed his pace to the stairway. He *really* didn't want to go downstairs right now. He was too tired for this.  
  
"Breakfast is ready, you guys!" Tenchi heard Sasami's voice.  
  
Good, breakfast. Maybe that'll slow them down. Tenchi hoped silently.  
  
"Someone should go wake up Tenchi." Sasami said quietly, probably knowing what would follow.  
  
"I'll go!" Ryoko said, starting up the stairs.  
  
"No, you won't!" Aeka said, diving toward Ryoko.  
  
"I'll go. You two are ridiculous." Kiyone said, stepping over them and starting up the steps.  
  
Tenchi took a deep breath and started down the stairs.  
  
"Tenchi, you're awake already..." Kiyone said, stepping over Ryoko and Aeka again, clearing the stairway.  
  
Tenchi nodded and yawned.   
  
"Yeah, I am."  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko said, teleporting away from Aeka, causing her to fall to the floor. She wrapped her arms around Tenchi's neck and hugged him tightly.  
  
"G-good morning Ryoko." Tenchi said, gasping for air.  
  
"Ryoko, release Lord Tenchi at once!" Aeka shouted, standing up and brushing herself off.  
  
Ryoko just looked at Aeka and blinked.  
  
"What's your problem Princess?"  
  
"My 'problem' is that you are harassing Tenchi!"  
  
"Aeka, Ryoko, Tenchi...breakfast is ready." Sasami said, attempting to diffuse the situation before it started.  
  
"Girls, let's just eat breakfast." Tenchi said, already moving toward the table with Ryoko still latched onto his back.  
  
Eventually everyone sat down to eat the breakfast Sasami had prepared for them. Tenchi's father Nobuyuki and his grandfather Katsuhito had sat down before any of them.  
  
At the end of breakfast, Aeka and Ryoko just happened to reach for the same, and last, deep fried rice ball. Everyone at the table tensed up at once.  
  
"You can have it Aeka." Ryoko said, waving it away as if she had never been reaching for it. "I know you've only had three of them today. Not your usual four or five."  
  
"You ate three of them yourself, Ryoko! I don't know what exactly you're implying!"  
  
"I'm implying that you eat too much for a princess of Jurai." Ryoko said coolly, leaning on Tenchi's shoulder.  
  
Aeka stood up defensively.   
  
"How DARE you!"  
  
Ryoko stayed at Tenchi's shoulder, watching Aeka's anger rise with a sadistic glee. She smiled at the princess nonchalantly.  
  
"Come on, Aeka...calm down. She didn't mean anything by it, did you Ryoko?" Tenchi said, looking over at Ryoko to help him calm Aeka down.  
  
"Of course I did."  
  
"Ryoko!"  
  
Aeka clenched her fists tightly, her defensive logs surrounding her.  
  
Tenchi watched this and looked to Ryoko again.  
  
"Ryoko, apologize to her! You two have to stop this!" Tenchi said.  
  
"Tenchi's right! You guys can't keep this up forever." Sasami said.  
  
"Miao!" Ryo-Ohki replied in agreement.  
  
"What do you girls plan to do five years from now? Is everything going to be like it is now? Someday you two are going to have to grow up!" Tenchi said, standing up and going back up to his room.  
  
Everyone looked at everyone else. Tenchi had actually stood up to the girls. He had succeeded in stopping one of their fights.  
  
Ryoko and Aeka looked at each other.  
  
"Hey...Aeka?"  
  
"Yeah Ryoko?"  
  
"Do you ever think about what Tenchi said?"  
  
Everyone who was still sitting at the table blinked in disbelief.  
  
"You mean about what we'll be doing in five years?"  
  
Kiyone's mouth dropped open.  
  
"That's all it takes to stop you two from fighting? Ask a rhetorical question?"  
  
"Well, do you ever think about it, Kiyone? Will you still be here in five years, being a resident officer in the middle of nowhere with Mihoshi as a partner?"  
  
Kiyone blinked. She hadn't really thought about it.  
  
"It would be great if we could actually see what our lives will be like in five years." Sasami said with a sigh.  
  
"There is a way." Washu said suddenly. Nobody had even noticed that she had awakened from her hangover induced coma.  
  
"Really Washu? How?" Ryoko asked, her curiosity peaked.  
  
"With my time machine. What else? The same machine that I used to send you all back twenty years to help Tenchi's mother Achika. It can be used for the future as well. Of course, if you *do* witness your future, you have to realize that it might not turn out the same."  
  
"Who cares? Let's go!" Ryoko said, standing up.  
  
"Yeah! This'll be great. What do you think Ryo-Ohki?"  
  
"Miao!"  
  
"Yay! Maybe you and I will be running the Galaxy Police in five years, Kiyone!" Mihoshi said.  
  
Kiyone simply sighed.  
  
"All right then." Washu said, picking up the rice ball that had started all of the commotion in the first place. "We'll go once I'm finished with breakfast."  
  
==================  
End Chapter 1  
**  
Next:**  
Chapter 2: A Princess of the Ages  
  
  



	2. A Princess of the Ages

The Future - Chapter 2: A Princess of the Ages  
  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer: We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N: Just for reference, the next chapters cover the "futures" of the characters in alphabetical order. They all will be significant...somehow. Don't be sneaky and just read the characters you like. ::shakes her finger at the sneaky reader:: I will know! hehehe. =D Its too late to be writing a story...I need sleep!  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 2: A PRINCESS OF THE AGES  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Ryoko, Aeka, and the other girls impatiently followed Washu into her laboratory after the small genius had slowly finished her breakfast.  
  
"How is this going to work, Washu? How do we know that you're not just making all of this up to mess with our minds?" Ryoko asked, suddenly skeptical of the genius' plan to reveal each of the girl's future.  
  
"As fun as that might be, Ryoko, I wouldn't do that. I'll simply connect the subject...one of you girls...to the machine and run a few sequences through the computer, mess with the time-space grid a bit, and a day of your future will be visible on that." Washu pointed to a monitor to her right.  
  
"A day? We don't have time to watch a whole day of everyone's future life." Ryoko said.  
  
"It won't be a full day. It will just be the basics. Husband, kids, jail time." Washu said, looking directly at Ryoko as she mentioned that last statement.  
  
"So you're going to connect us up to something?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Yep. I'm going to connect you to the mainframe of my time machines operating system. That way it will have your bio energy to calibrate itself for the future time scan."  
  
"So its nothing electrical that can kill us?" Kiyone asked, looking at the wires.  
  
"Of course not. Who wants to go first?"  
  
Kiyone, Mihoshi, Ryoko, Aeka, and Sasami all looked at one another. Each of them remained silent.  
  
"Fine, we'll go in alphabetical order. You're first, Aeka." Washu said as the other girls stepped away from Aeka.  
  
After about a half hour, Aeka was connected to Washu's computer by about fifty wires. She sat perfectly still, afraid of what might happen if she shifted wrong.  
  
"Be careful, Aeka. If you move wrong you might get sucked into another dimension." Ryoko said, leaning against one of Washu's computer panels.  
  
"Get off of that!" Washu scolded, shooing Ryoko away from anything breakable.  
  
"Um, Washu? Could we go ahead with this?" Aeka asked, shifting slowly on the stool she sat upon.  
  
"All right, Aeka. Don't move." Washu said, pressing a button on her holo-laptop.  
  
There was suddenly a bright light and the monitor to Washu's right began to glow with the image of a young girl with purple hair.  
  
"Are you sure you didn't go back in time?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Shut up, Ryoko!" Aeka said, looking at the monitor.  
  
-Aeka's Future-  
  
The young purple haired child wandered about the garden where there were plenty of plants she had never seen in all her three years. Her mommy and daddy were around somewhere. She just didn't know where, so she started to walk. At least she walked as well as a three year old could.  
  
"Himiko! Where are you?" A familiar voice called.  
  
"Mommy!" The young girl smiled happily as her mother walked into her view.  
  
The girl's mother smiled warmly.  
  
"Aeka, could you come here and help me with Himiko?" The woman asked in a neutral tone."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." The familiar form of Aeka, the first princess of the planet Jurai appeared from the nearby gazebo.  
  
Dressed in plain clothing, Aeka no longer wore the familiar kimono she had worn on earth. She was back on Jurai now, called back two years prior to assist her family with a civil dispute on the planet. That civil dispute turned into a civil war and Aeka's family was eventually banished from Jurai. Aeka got separated and abandoned by her family and now worked as a maid for the new royal family of Jurai.  
  
The power of Jurai, granted to the royal family, seemed no match for the current rulers of the planet who turned Jurai into a worn down trading post. It saddened Aeka to see the planet in such disrepair, but it depressed the girl even more knowing that there was no way for her to see the friends that she had left on Earth.  
  
"Aeka, stop daydreaming and take Himiko inside. She needs her bath." The current queen of Jurai snapped harshly.   
  
Aeka snapped out of her reverie and shooed the girl, Himiko, inside. She bathed the girl, put her to bed, and continued with her normal duties until well after nightfall. Once night fell, Aeka slipped away from the palace and into a secret spot known only to her and those she met there.  
  
"Aeka! It is about time." The leader of this small group snapped in an unpleasant tone.  
  
"I'm sorry. My duties kept me later than usual." Aeka said, brushing the dirt from her skirt from when she had fallen on the way over.  
  
"Did you get the blue prints this time, Aeka?" Another person asked her.  
  
"Yes, I don't understand how you are going to use them though. The family is strong...Stronger than my family was."  
  
"Don't worry about that, Aeka."  
  
Aeka looked around the small cell where she met these people every other night. She didn't know their names and she never saw their faces. Nothing about them seemed familiar, but somehow she felt she could trust these people. These rebels that supported her family who was now in exile and planned to overthrow the current Jurai king and queen.  
  
"Is that all then? I can't be gone from the palace too long. I think they have started to suspect something." Aeka said, already beginning to leave.   
  
"Be careful then, Aeka. Meet us again the day after tomorrow. We will make our final preparations then."  
  
Aeka nodded and left, hurrying back to the palace before she was caught by the palace guards. She proceeded the way she always went and ran straight into a Jurain palace guard.  
  
"Miss Aeka?" One of them said, recognizing her. These guards were the king's personal guards.  
  
"What are you doing wandering around out here, Miss Aeka? You know you're not supposed to be outside of the palace at any time without an escort."  
  
"I know. I just needed to go for a walk. To get some fresh air."  
  
One of the guards shook his head slowly and sighed.  
  
"We're going to have to take you to the king this time, Miss Aeka. This is the third time we've caught you out here. We can't let it slide this time."  
  
"I was only out for a walk, the same as I do every night. Why do you have to report me this evening?"  
  
The two guards sighed in unison.  
  
"We're sorry, Miss Aeka." They said, all ready leading her into the throne room where the king and queen always sit.  
  
Aeka was starting to wonder if they ever left the throne room.  
  
"Aeka? What are you doing here and with these guards?" The queen asked.  
  
"We found her outside. She said she was taking a walk."  
  
"You found her outside of the palace?" The queen asked, glaring at Aeka.  
  
"Yes, your majesty." One of the guards spoke up.  
  
"This isn't the first time." The other guard said.  
  
The first guard and Aeka both looked to the second guard who didn't bother to look at either of them.  
  
"Is this true?" The king asked the first guard.  
  
He nodded solemnly.  
  
"Yes, your highness."  
  
Aeka stood quietly not bothering to defend herself, knowing that anything she said wouldn't be heard.  
  
"Take her to the cell in the basement. We'll decide what to do with her in the morning." The queen said harshly.  
  
The two guards nodded and guided Aeka downstairs.  
  
-Monitor blanks out-  
  
"Whoa, Aeka! Who knew you'd be a political prisoner on your own planet." Kiyone said in disbelief.  
  
"A freedom fighter, huh Aeka? Obviously not a very successful one." Ryoko said.  
  
"Miss Washu, how accurate is this thing?" Aeka asked, her face bright red in embarrassment or anger.  
  
"I told you Aeka. The things you see with this machine will most likely never happen now. At least not the way you're seeing them. You're knowledge of them stops it from happening either for the better or the worse." Washu explained.  
  
"So no matter what I do, Jurai is going to be overtaken and my family dethroned?" Aeka asked.   
  
"There's no way to know, Aeka. It might happen, it might not. Nothing is certain once you glimpse your own future. Who's to say that witnessing this didn't cause everything to happen?"  
  
"You mean to say that whatever we see with this machine might happen just because we've seen it?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Washu nodded. "That's one possibility. But its nothing to worry about. Now, c'mon...who's next?"  
  
================  
-End Chapter 2-  
**Next:**  
Chapter 3: Forever Cursed


	3. Forever Cursed

The Future - Chapter 3: Forever Cursed  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N:  This is Kiyone's future. When this chapter ends, its going to go directly into Mihoshi's future since I don't feel like stopping and putting a break between the two, so don't go getting confused on me.   
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 3: FOREVER CURSED  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
After Washu tied Kiyone to the chair and had all the same things that had been connected to Aeka on Kiyone, the little scientist started the machine again.  
  
"I don't see why all these wires are necessary. And to be perfectly honest, I don't really want to see my future." Kiyone said, trying to escape.  
  
"Come on Kiyone, don't you want to see if we'll be working together still?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
Kiyone sighed; frustrated.  
  
"Don't be such a wimp, Kiyone." Ryoko said, hovering over the floor in a seated position.  
  
"That's easy for you to say." Kiyone replied.  
  
"It won't be so long, Kiyone." Sasami said.  
  
"It really isn't so bad...unless you have a future like mine..." Aeka said.  
  
Ryoko laughed to herself.  
  
"Shut up Ryoko!"  
  
"Both of you shut up." Washu said as the monitor started to blink as it revealed another vision for the girls.  
  
-Kiyone's Future-  
  
Kiyone sat in a rather comfortable looking chair behind a rather important looking desk with a frown on her face.  
  
It had been almost two years since she had been promoted back to Galaxy Police headquarters and put in charge of the subspace containment division in charge of the largest force in the Galaxy Police. She was ecstatic when she received her promotion and she was even happier to be getting away from Mihoshi and earth all together.   
  
Her happiness soon went away when she discovered that her promotion involved sitting behind a desk all day sifting through reports handed in by the officers under her control. She also got the distinguished opportunity of being blamed if anything ever went wrong with the containment units where several of the most dangerous criminals were held.   
  
*If Ryoko is ever caught, this is where they'll bring her.* Kiyone thought to herself as she inspected the latest reports. *At least then I might have someone to talk to.* Kiyone bitterly appended to her previous thought.   
  
As much as she hated to admit it, she missed Earth. Not only did she miss Earth, but she also missed Mihoshi, Sasami, Ryoko, Tenchi, Washu, and Aeka. The two princesses had left Earth a few months before she had received her promotion and as far as she knew, nobody had heard from either of them until a small group of rebels on Jurai had contacted Galaxy Police the day before to inform them that Aeka had been arrested by the new Jurain royal family.  
  
According to Washu, when Kiyone last spoke with her, Jurai was in total chaos and trying to track down Aeka was nearly impossible from Earth. Also as it turned out, Mihoshi, Ryoko, and Tenchi were gone. Washu's theory was that they had left Earth to seek out Sasami and the former Royal Family to gain their help in retrieving Aeka.  
  
Kiyone looked around her office and sighed. Just a few years ago she would have killed someone (probably Mihoshi) for this job, but now she just wanted out. She wanted to go back to being a resident officer on Earth and fixing people's engines.  
  
"Kiyone?" Nariko, her secretary called her attention from a small monitor sitting on the corner of her desk.  
  
"What is it, Nariko?" Kiyone sighed.  
  
"Its the commander. He says that your report of your inspection of the containment units is overdue. He also said that he received a message from your old partner --"  
  
"Mihoshi? He got something from Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, cutting Nariko off mid-sentence.  
  
"Yes, that's what he said."  
  
"Okay, just put him through please, Nariko."  
  
Moments later Nariko's image faded away from the monitor and was replaced with Kiyone's commander.  
  
"Your report is late, Kiyone. I was supposed to have it yesterday. You know that your job is very unstable Kiyone. We need to know that we have someone competent in your position. Competency doesn't include late inspection reports. The containment units have to be constantly modified and upgraded, you know that."  
  
"Yes, sir. I sent the report to your office an hour ago. I couldn't get it to you yesterday, I'm sorry. Nariko told me that you received a message from Mihoshi?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I don't know why I got it. Didn't you tell your former partner where you would be working?" He asked her.  
  
Kiyone didn't answer.  
  
"Well, either way, I'll send the message over to you."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
The commander simply nodded and closed the connection.  
  
Seconds later Kiyone's monitor blinked again with Mihoshi's image this time. Kiyone stared at the image for a moment before playing the message. Mihoshi looked exactly the same with her vacant look and everything.  
  
*Please don't let her be contacting me for my help* Kiyone internally pleaded as she pressed the PLAY button.  
  
"Kiyone, we're in trouble. Ryoko went off on her own. Tenchi went after her. I don't know what happened. We need your help, Kiyone. I couldn't think of anyone else to call. We're on Acadia, where Aeka and Sasami's family is exiled. We found Funaho and Misaki. And the king is dead. Nobody knows where Sasami is either. Please, Kiyone..."  
  
Kiyone stared at the monitor for a while. She couldn't just leave and go chasing after them in Yagami, although she had to admit this sort of situation was why she kept her ship in such good repair. But still, she had responsibilities to the Galaxy Police. Kiyone sighed, frustrated.  
  
"Nariko?" Kiyone asked. Soon the image of her secretary appeared again.  
  
"Yes, Kiyone? What is it?"  
  
"I need you to inform the commander that I have to leave, immediately. There is trouble with Mihoshi and she needs my help."  
  
"What? But who is going to watch over the section? You can't just leave it like this." Nariko protested.  
  
"I know. That's why I need you to find a suitable replacement."  
  
"A temporary replacement?"  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
"I don't think this is wise, Kiyone. You've always said how hard you worked to get here and now you want to just throw that away?"  
  
"My friends need me, Nariko."  
  
"So does the Galaxy Police, Kiyone."  
  
"This isn't a conversation I need right now, Nariko. Please, just do what I asked. I know you're only looking out for my professional welfare, but I know what I'm doing." Kiyone said as she terminated the connection.  
  
"Do I really know what I'm doing?" Kiyone asked herself as she rose from her desk.  
  
She gathered everything she would need from her office and quickly went to her quarters and grabbed a few things there and left for the docking bay where Yagami was kept.  
  
In no time, Kiyone was in space again after what she figured had been too long. She quickly made her way to Acadia, a small planet just outside the same system as the Earth. She didn't know how she was going to find Mihoshi, but something told her she wouldn't have too much trouble.  
  
After a few hours of travel (Earth time), Kiyone arrived at the small green planet and docked at the nearest available station.  
  
There was only one large city on Acadia. That limited the search somewhat. Kiyone started her search at the hotels, figuring that the Jurains most likely weren't camping in the surrounding forest. There was no luck with any of the hotels in the city.  
  
Kiyone searched well into the evening and was about to give up when she saw Misaki, the second wife of the former king of Jurai and Sasami and Aeka's mother. Kiyone followed her to a small diner where, sure enough, Funaho and Mihoshi were.   
  
Kiyone stepped into the diner hesitantly. There was still enough time for her to go back to Yagami and just go back to those containment units. She sighed at the exciting thought of that, and walked into the diner.   
  
Mihoshi saw her right away and just stood there silently. Then her eyes lit up and she smiled.  
  
"Kiyone! You came! I didn't think you had gotten my message."   
  
"I did Mihoshi, now what's going on?"  
  
"Ryoko left to find Sasami. She disappeared shortly after we landed here." Funaho, who was dressed just as plainly as Mihoshi, said quietly.  
  
"Sasami disappeared?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"Yes, she evacuated Jurai with us, but shortly after we landed on Acadia, she just vanished." Funaho said.  
  
"And Ryoko just took off after her?"   
  
"Yes, she felt that Sasami was in more danger than Aeka. She said that we at least know where Aeka is and she probably isn't going anywhere for a while." Mihoshi explained.  
  
"That sounds like her." Kiyone said, sitting down. "What about Tenchi?"  
  
"He followed Ryoko. He felt that she needed help, but just was too stubborn to ask him."  
  
"So why do you need my help?"  
  
"They're going to execute Aeka." Misaki sobbed.  
  
"What? I hadn't heard that at the Galaxy Police. Are you sure?"   
  
"Yes, we received notice of it early this morning. She's been tried with treason and is scheduled to be executed in five days." Funaho explained.  
  
Kiyone just sat quietly, thinking. Why hadn't the Galaxy Police been informed of this? Where's Sasami that Ryoko and Tenchi haven't found her yet? She sighed.  
  
"We need your help to get her back. I couldn't go by myself and it would be too dangerous for Lady Funaho or Lady Misaki to come with me." Mihoshi said. "Will you help?"  
  
"Of course I will." Kiyone sighed. "It looks like we're getting involved with the matters of Jurai once again."  
  
"Sure does." Mihoshi said.  
  
"Thank you. Both of you." Funaho said, smiling.  
  
"Yes, thank you and please bring Aeka back safely." Misaki cried.  
  
Kiyone nodded. She was starting to realize what she had gotten herself into. She was going to Jurai to break into the palace to help rescue Aeka from people who were more powerful than the most powerful people in the universe.  
  
"First, before you go, get some rest. You can leave in the morning. There's no sense in leaving right now." Funaho said.  
  
"She's right. Did you bring Yagami, Kiyone? Washu repaired Yukinojo before we left Earth."  
  
"Yes, I brought Yagami." Kiyone said.   
  
"We should use Yagami then. We probably won't be detected with Yagami and we definitely can't go in both." Mihoshi said.  
  
Kiyone just looked at her. There was something different about her. She made sense when she spoke and she wasn't giggling all the time. Maybe she finally straightened out her act and was actually acting like a Galaxy Police officer now.  
  
"We'll just use Yagami then." Kiyone said, drinking a glass of water that Mihoshi had given her.  
  
"This will be exciting, Kiyone. The two of us together again after nearly two years." Mihoshi giggled.  
  
Maybe Kiyone was wrong. Maybe Mihoshi was exactly the same...  
  
=================  
~End Chapter 3~  
  
NEXT:  
Chapter 4: Together Again  
  
A/n: Like I said before I started this part, chapter four is just going to start from Mihoshi's future. I'm not going to take a break between the two. Sorry this took so long, I'm not using my usual computer and I've been having technical difficulty.  
  
  



	4. Together Again

The Future - Chapter 4: Together Again  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N:  This is Mihoshi's future. She's already been strapped into the machine and the girls already made their commentary, I just didn't feel much like showing it.  PLUS...I want to apologize for the LONG breaks between chapters.  I've been home from school all month, and I thought that starting another story would take up some of my bored time but things haven't worked out that way.  The last 5 chapters should come rather quickly once I get back to my lovely computer.    
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 4: TOGETHER AGAIN  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
      The two suns of the planet Acadia woke Mihoshi up earlier than usual.  Most of the time she would have easily slept through a little sunlight in her eyes, but she figured that Kiyone would be getting up soon anyway.  There was no need to go back to sleep.  It had been almost two years since Mihoshi had seen Kiyone last.  She was surprised when her former partner had arrived so quickly after receiving a message from her.   
  
      Things had started falling apart for Mihoshi and Kiyone's partnership just before Aeka and Sasami were called back to Jurai to deal with the encroaching civil war.  After that, the Galaxy Police didn't see much need for two resident officers.  They didn't know that Ryoko was on the planet.  So, Aeka and Sasami left, then Kiyone got reassigned to HQ and it was only Tenchi, Mihoshi, Ryoko, Ryo-Ohki, and Washu left.  Things were quiet for those two years until this happened.  Now Sasami was missing, Ryoko and Tenchi are missing, Aeka has been captured by the new king of Jurai and set to be executed.  But at least Mihoshi had Kiyone back, until they fixed everything anyway.  
  
      "Mihoshi, are you ready to leaving?"  Kiyone asked the blonde GP officer as she walked into the living room of the tiny apartment above the diner the Ladies Funaho and Misaki had bought when they arrived on the planet.  
  
      "Yes, Kiyone.  We should leave now and not waste anytime so we can get Aeka and you can get back to your new job,"  Mihoshi said quietly, lifting her bag onto her shoulder and walking toward the door.  
  
      Kiyone sighed, grabbed her bag, and followed.  
  
      "How have things been since I left Earth?"  Kiyone asked as they walked to the docking port where she had left Yagami.  
  
      "Quiet."  Mihoshi said.  "The occasional traffic accident or broken down ship. That's all.  I moved back in with Tenchi since I couldn't afford the apartment on my own so I don't have anymore part time jobs.  I just helped Tenchi and his father and grandfather out around the house and shrine.  How has your new job been going?"  
  
      "Its been...interesting.  I don't do much.  I expected more action, but all I do is sit around and read reports about the containment units.  I sort of miss being a resident officer."  
  
      "Really, Kiyone?  I never thought I'd hear you say that."  Mihoshi said.  
  
      "I never thought I'd be saying it."  Kiyone said, walking onboard Yagami.  
  
      The two Galaxy Police officers took their seats on the bridge of Yagami and left Acadia behind and made their way to Jurai.  
  
      Normally a trip to Jurai from Acadia would take a few days, but progress in the building of engines for Galaxy Police shuttles had advanced greatly in the five years since their last trip to Jurai.  They easily made the trip in about five hours.   
  
      Since Jurai had become such an open trading post since the crowning of the new royal family, Kiyone and Mihoshi had no difficulty reaching the planet and docking unnoticed.  They quickly gathered everything they needed and headed into the massive crowds that inhabited the streets of the capital city of Jurai.  
  
      They were looking for the secret group who had informed the Galaxy Police of Aeka's imprisonment, but something told the two detectives that they weren't going to be found easily.   
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi wandered the streets of the capital until it started to become dark and the street markets closed. It was then that the two detectives came across two black-clad figures in an empty marketplace.  
  
"Are you looking for us?" One of the masked figures asked. Mihoshi couldn't tell which one it was.  
  
"Do you two belong to the group who helped the Princess Aeka?" Kiyone asked, moving her hand toward her blaster.  
  
The two figures nodded in unison.  
  
"We do. Are you with the Galaxy Police?"  
  
"Yes, we are." Mihoshi said, studying the two people standing across from her and Kiyone.  
  
"Follow us." One of the figures said.  
  
The two detectives only nodded slowly and followed the two figures as they lead them to a dark, underground hall.  
  
"What is this place?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"This is where we stay safe. Hopefully no one followed."   
  
"Who are you?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"Should we?" Kiyone asked, resting her hand on her blaster.  
  
"You don't have to be so paranoid, detective." The taller figure said as the mask was pulled off.  
  
"Nagi?" Kiyone asked, shocked.  
  
"Wow, the bounty hunter? What are you doing here?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"She came to help me." The other figure said, pulling off their own mask.  
  
"Tenchi!?" Kiyone and Mihoshi questioned in unison.  
  
"Yeah...sorry I didn't tell you when we first met you in the market, but nobody can know that we're here."  
  
"But you left with Ryoko...where is she?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"I don't know. I left after she did, I never caught up with her. I've been here since then and I came across Nagi and decided to help her help Aeka escape since I couldn't help Ryoko find Sasami." Tenchi said, sitting down and motioning for everyone else to do so as well.  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi sat across a large table from Tenchi and Nagi.  
  
"Were you the one that notified the Galaxy Police about Aeka?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"I was. We had been working with her before she was captured. She was a nursemaid for the new Queen's daughter. She didn't know who I was though." Nagi explained.  
  
"It looks like you have involved yourself in the problems of the planet Jurai. I remember you criticizing Ryoko for doing that once."  
  
Nagi shrugged.  
  
"Perhaps I should have taken my own advice. Now, with Aeka imprisoned, people are more aware that we are around."  
  
"But aren't you pretty obvious dressed like that?" Mihoshi asked, referring to their all black garb and masks.  
  
"Its a necessary thing, but most people pay no attention to it. We knew that you were around and looking for us so it was necessary for us to show ourselves to you."  
  
"Aeka's going to be executed in four days. I've been waiting to break into the palace, hoping that Ryoko would eventually show up here...but I don't think we can wait for her." Tenchi said.  
  
"But her power would definitely help. In fact, she might be a necessity for breaching the palace security." Nagi said. "But we have to get in there before Aeka is executed. If she is killed, more of the Jurai power will be transferred to the new royal family."  
  
"What?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"Since Aeka's family has been removed from the throne, the new royal family has been hunting for the members of the Jurai royal family because of the Jurai power that they possess. We believe that Aeka was kept alive as a serving girl for so long because the kid had grown attached to her."  
  
"They believe that they have soldiers looking for me and Sasami as well." Tenchi said. "Once they've killed all of the claimants to the Jurain throne, they will have the ultimate power in the universe."  
  
"Have they located Sasami?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"We're not sure. We're hoping that Ryoko has though."  
  
"You haven't heard anything from Ryoko at all?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"No, we haven't." Tenchi asked.  
  
"That's a bit odd, isn't it?"   
  
Both Nagi and Tenchi nodded.  
  
"We have to find both Sasami and Ryoko before the Royal family does and we have to get Aeka as soon as we possibly can...if we don't, we're all dead."  
  
-End Mihoshi's Future-  
  
"Washu, what the hell is this?" Ryoko asked, pointing to the machine as Mihoshi got herself unattached from the machine.  
  
"This is what the future could be. Haven't I explained that already?" Washu snapped.  
  
"This seems like some sort of soap opera." Aeka said. "Or science fiction. I mean, really...someone overthrowing the Jurai royal family? Nagi showing up to help me."  
  
"I'm not making this up, if that's what you're implying. This is simply tracking your genetic material five years into the future. This is what the machine sees happening. But since you're seeing it, the odds of it actually happening have dropped."  
  
"I don't think its really possible for me to get bored with a promotion." Kiyone said randomly.  
  
"I think you just don't appreciate what you have here, Kiyone." Washu said.  
  
Kiyone didn't say anything.  
  
"Who's next?" Washu asked, looking directly at Ryoko.  
  
"No, I don't want to know my future and I don't want to be connected to any more of your machines, Washu." Ryoko protested.  
  
"Now Ryoko, it wouldn't be fair if you just got to sit there and watch everyone else's future like it was a TV show. You have to participate too." Aeka said.  
  
"Go on Ryoko!" Sasami encouraged.  
  
Ryoko dematerialized and teleported to the chair Mihoshi had previously occupied.  
  
"This better not hurt." Ryoko said, glaring.  
  
"Just hold still." Washu said, connecting various wires to the space pirate.  
  
"Now what?" Ryoko asked once Washu was finished.  
  
"Now, hold on." Washu said, flipping the switch on the time machine to ON.  
  
==================  
~End Chapter 4~  
  
**Next:**  
Chapter 5 - Oh, What a Tangled Web  
  
**Another A/N**:  I would like to take this time, while I'm rambling, to thank everyone who have read my stories from the first one I posted in the Tenchi Muyo! section of Fanfiction.net.  It means a lot to me that you all read my stories.  It seems that nobody has really liked anything I've written since that first series, and I'd like to apologize for that.  I've tried to write stories I thought you all would like, but it doesn't seem to be working that way.  But still, thanks for reading.  =)  It means a lot, but I decided that this will probably be my last story for awhile in the Tenchi Muyo! section of fanfiction.net.  I know I am on Author Alert with some of you, so you'll be posted on the other stories I write, I guess. I'm going to be writing a few Oh My Goddess, Fushigi Yuugi, Serial Experiments Lain, Vampire Princess Miyu, and Cardcaptor Sakura stories just to get a break from the Tenchi section and some of the author's I have pissed off with my constructive criticism.  But once I come up with a good plot that Tenchi and the girls will fit into well, I'll be back.  But until then, enjoy what's left of this story, please.  ^_^  
  
  
  



	5. Oh, What a Tangled Web...

The Future - Chapter 5: Oh, What a Tangled Web...  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N:  Ya'll have been waiting for this one, haven't you? I should wait and have this chapter be last just to be mean, but I'm not like that. Anyways, Ryoko's future...  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 5: OH, WHAT A TANGLED WEB...  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Ryoko awoke on the floor of Ryo-Ohki's bridge. How she got on the floor, she couldn't quite remember. She also couldn't remember where exactly she was or how she got there. The last thing she remembered was leaving Earth to look for Sasami. She knew that Tenchi had tried to follow her, but she lost him easily enough. Ever since Tenchi had come back from Jurai, he had been dying to try out his own ship given to him by the Jurain military. He was a Jurain prince, after all. Ryoko had never had difficulty out running a Jurain ship.  
  
"Ryo-Ohki...Where are we?" Ryoko asked, pulling herself to her feet and sitting in the chair she always sat in.  
  
"Miao, miao, miao." Ryo-Ohki replied back.  
  
"Shizukesa..." Ryoko repeated Ryo-Ohki's information aloud.  
  
She always spoke out loud when she was alone on Ryo-Ohki. She would go insane if she only communicated through telepathy.  
  
"This is the last system we can search, Ryo-Ohki." She said quietly. "If Sasami isn't here, she's nowhere."  
  
"Miao." Ryo-Ohki replied, hoping that they would at last find Sasami here.  
  
Both Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki knew about Aeka's execution. It was all over the universal news. They couldn't help but hear about it. At least Ryoko knew where Tenchi was...and she knew what kind of danger he was in.  
  
"Ryo-Ohki...you might as well start the scanning process. There aren't many planets in this system. It shouldn't take that long." Ryoko said anxiously.  
  
She wanted to be helping Tenchi. She wanted to protect him, but she promised to find Sasami and that's what she was going to do.  
  
Ryo-Ohki meowed in reply and started a broad sweep of the Shizukesa system for Sasami's bio-signature thanks to a few upgrades courtesy of Washu.  
  
Ryoko squirmed in her chair anxiously. The scan of the system would take up to three hours if they didn't find Sasami and something could happen to Tenchi while she was looking for the girl who she hadn't seen in two years and who had apparently disappeared from existence.  
  
"Any luck?"   
  
Ryoko heard Washu's voice before the petite scientist's face appeared on the view screen in front of the pirate.  
  
"Not so far. This is the last system I'm searching. If Sasami's not a system more remote than the Sol system, then she's nowhere."  
  
Washu nodded.  
  
"Have you heard from Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"No, but I have heard from Mihoshi. She and Kiyone were searching for a secret group on Jurai that had been helping Aeka because she was arrested."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And, they found Tenchi with the group yesterday. And Nagi is the leader of the group. Pretty weird, huh?"  
  
"Nagi? The leader of a resistance group? I guess the bounty hunting business isn't what it used to be. Is Tenchi all right?"  
  
"He's fine. They need your help though. As soon as your finished, head for Jurai."  
  
Ryoko nodded.   
  
"Don't worry about that, Washu."  
  
"Good luck, Ryoko." Washu said just before she discontinued their connection.  
  
Ryoko sighed heavily.  
  
"Anything yet, Ryo-Ohki?" She asked.  
  
"Miao!" Ryo-Ohki replied.  
  
"What!?" Ryoko shouted, isolating the information that Ryo-Ohki was giving her. "I'll be damned...She's on Wakusei. Go on, Ryo-Ohki! Let's go get her!"  
  
Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki landed on Wakusei, an almost desolate planet on the outer rim of the Shizukesa System. There was only one major city surrounded by many small villages. Ryoko followed Ryo-Ohki's directions. The little cabbit was able to track Sasami with no trouble.  
  
Finally the two came to a rather large building and went inside.  
  
"What do you want here?" A loud, deep voice shouted as soon as they stepped a foot inside the door.  
  
"We're looking for someone." Ryoko replied sharply.  
  
"There's no one for you to find here." The voice replied back.  
  
"Miao!" Ryo-Ohki meowed and jumped off of Ryoko's shoulder and ran down the hall.  
  
"Ryo-Ohki!" Ryoko shouted, following her.  
  
"Get back here!" The voice shouted back at them, but no one followed.  
  
"Ryo-Ohki, what are you doing?" Ryoko asked once she caught up with the small cabbit.  
  
"Miao, miao!" She said, phasing herself through the door.  
  
Ryoko sighed and followed only to be face to face with about four rather large guards.  
  
"What are you doing in here!?" They asked in unison.  
  
"Leave her alone." A familiar voice called from behind them and the guards backed away.  
  
On a small bench sat Sasami who looked to be about fifteen now. Her years on Earth had caused her to age more rapidly than she would have on Jurai and the aging process had slowed by now. She wore her long hair down and she smiled cheerfully with Ryo-Ohki sitting on her shoulder.  
  
"Sasami, I have been looking everywhere for you!" Ryoko said, exasperated.  
  
"Why?" Sasami asked, not looking over at her.  
  
"Because everyone was worried about you. Your mother and aunt on in exile, Aeka's going to be executed in three days, and Tenchi and the others are trying to get her out."  
  
"How come only you came looking for me, Ryoko?" Sasami asked softly.  
  
"I just told you, Sasami. We need to get you somewhere safe."  
  
"I am safe. I've been safe ever I left my family on Acadia."  
  
"You left them?"  
  
"Of course. I didn't want you to come looking for me Ryoko. Not you..."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryoko snapped.  
  
"It means that I didn't want you to come here, Ryoko." Sasami said, standing up.  
  
"What about Aeka, Tenchi, and the others? They just want you to be safe." Ryoko said.  
  
Sasami simply turned away from Ryoko and walked to an open window with a balcony and looked outside.  
  
"Here I have the best protection I would ever need from the new Jurain royal family. Here I don't have to worry about falling into the same trap as Aeka did."   
  
"Sasami..."  
  
"I like it here Ryoko. I don't have to cook for a large group of people or clean up after them. I don't have to live in Aeka's shadow anymore. I'm no longer the 2nd princess, here I'm the first."  
  
"Miao?" Ryo-Ohki said to Sasami curiously.  
  
"I have missed you, Ryo-Ohki, but you shouldn't be here. Take Ryoko back to Earth."  
  
"I'm not going back to Earth."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sasami asked, turning around to face Ryoko for the first time.  
  
"I mean I'm going to Jurai to help the others. To help Aeka."  
  
"I thought you hated Aeka."  
  
Ryoko shrugged.  
  
"She shouldn't die like that. Besides, she's not really any competition for Tenchi anymore anyway."  
  
"She must be if he went there to help her." Sasami said, looking Ryoko in the eye.  
  
Ryoko clenched her fists.  
  
"He originally came to help me look for you, you know." She said.  
  
"Oh, really? He's not here now...He must not have tried very hard."   
  
"Sasami, what's wrong with you?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing is wrong with me, Ryoko. Just don't go to Jurai...you wouldn't know what you're getting yourself into."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"If you go to Jurai, you'll see. I suggest you go back to Earth, take Ryo-Ohki with you, and just wait things out with Washu."  
  
"I won't go back to Earth, Sasami. And I'm not leaving this planet without you."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Ryoko. Go to Jurai if you wish, you won't like what you find when you get there, if you get there."  
  
"Sasami, you haven't...you didn't..."  
  
"What Ryoko? Have you finally figured things out?"  
  
"Miao?" Ryo-Ohki said sadly.  
  
Sasami snapped her fingers and the four guards grabbed her quickly. With the men holding onto her, Ryoko couldn't teleport away.  
  
"I warned you, Ryoko. I told you to leave and go back to Earth, but you refused. If you want to go to Jurai that much, we'll go together."  
  
"What have you done, Sasami?"  
  
Suddenly one of the guards hit Ryoko sharply on the back on the head and she blacked out.  
  
-End Ryoko's Future-  
  
As Ryoko started to disconnect herself from Washu's machine, everyone's eyes were trained on Sasami who had turned a bright red.  
  
"Sasami, how could you do such a thing?" Aeka snapped.  
  
"I didn't do anything!" The small girl defended herself.  
  
"Don't yell at her for something she hasn't even done yet." Washu said. "Besides, whatever she's done, she probably won't do it now."  
  
Aeka frowned.  
  
"I still can't believe it. I don't believe that machine of yours, Washu. Its making up lies about everyone. It made Ryoko seem like a decent human being." She said.  
  
"I can see why Sasami would turn against you..." Ryoko growled, charging toward Aeka, only to be stopped by Washu.  
  
"No fighting in the lab. If either one of you use your powers in here, you'll be electrocuted." Washu said cheerfully.  
  
Ryoko stuck her tongue out at Aeka and went back to floating just above the floor.  
  
"I hardly got to see any of my future. I got knocked unconscious before anything happened!" She complained.  
  
"That's not my fault, Ryoko. You only get one day of your future. If I connected you to that machine again, your future could be completely different now. Its nobody's fault that you don't wake up until the next morning." Washu said, typing various things into her computer.  
  
"But Washu, how come our futures aren't different after seeing everyone else's?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"How do you know they're not?"   
  
Mihoshi stood silently pondering that statement.  
  
"Well, Sasami's next. Maybe now we can find out why she's so bitter." Kiyone said, looking at the girl again.  
  
"C'mon Sasami." Washu said.  
  
"All right." Sasami said slowly, sitting down in the chair and watching Washu connect the various wires to her.  
  
"Hold still now." Washu said, starting the machine up again. "Here we go."  
  
-End Chapter 5-  
  
Next:  
Chapter 6: All Shapes and Sizes   
  
A/N: I know this isn't what you all were expecting for Ryoko, but having a good idea of what you were expecting, I decided to intentionally fall short of your expectations. There's still 4 chapters left, keep reading, you might find what you've been looking for.   
;)


	6. All Shapes & Sizes

The Future - Chapter 6: All Shapes & Sizes  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N:  Some people apparently have a problem with the way my last chapter went. I can understand that, but you can't seriously believe that I was going to do what you expected me to...what fun would that be? I don't like being like everyone else...never expect the obvious from me. Anyway, on to the story...  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 6: ALL SHAPES & SIZES  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Sasami and her guards had left Shizukesa system shortly after Ryoko had been knocked unconscious. Ryo-Ohki was held in a stasis cell.  
  
"Princess Sasami...we're almost to Jurai."  
  
"Fine. Just keep Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki out of the way. If Tenchi or the others find them, things could get complicated."  
  
"Why don't you just eliminate her, Princess?"  
  
"Don't be foolish. There's no need."  
  
"She's a wanted criminal..."  
  
"I said that there's no need. Leave her be, just keep her out of the way." Sasami said, standing up and going into her room on the ship.  
  
Sasami sat at her vanity and looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
The years since she had left earth to go back to Jurai had been harder than anything she had ever faced before. She saw her family dethroned, her father die, her sister left behind, and her mother and aunt humiliated. Yet, none of that bothered her now.  
  
Now she would have what she wanted. She wouldn't be second any longer and she wouldn't have to deal with Aeka anymore.  
  
She didn't want her sister killed, of course, but she didn't want her in her way either. She wouldn't allow anything to happen to the others either.  
  
"Princess...the pirate is awake now." One of the guards said from outside her door.  
  
"Fine, I will go to see her shortly." The girl said, never taking her eyes off the mirror.   
  
She didn't remember when she had come to look so much older. She didn't remember when she had started to feel so much contempt for Aeka either. She was just sick of everything. She couldn't be that happy little girl she had been for so long. She just couldn't...  
  
  
"How are you feeling, Ryoko?" Sasami asked, noticing Ryoko's pained look.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, Sasami? Are you crazy?"   
  
"Don't worry about that, Ryoko. Nothing is going to happen to your precious Tenchi, if that's all you're worried about."  
  
"Where's Ryo-Ohki?"  
  
"She's fine too. You know I wouldn't harm her and I didn't mean for you to get hurt either. I hope it isn't too bad."  
  
"I'm fine. Let me out of here, Sasami."  
  
"I can't do that Ryoko. I'm sorry."  
  
"Yes, you can. Do you know what you're doing?"  
  
Sasami sighed and turned away from Ryoko, looking out a nearby window.  
  
"Sasami, answer me."  
  
"I don't have to answer you, Ryoko. That's a glorious feeling, knowing that I'm not obliged to do anything for anyone but myself."  
  
"You really think you're going to get what you want this way?"  
  
"I know I will."  
  
"What's wrong with you?"  
  
Sasami only turned back to Ryoko with an expression nobody had ever seen on the girl's face before.   
  
"Absolutely nothing."  
  
"Princess..." One of the guards interrupted.  
  
"What?" Sasami snapped.  
  
"We've arrived at Jurai. The ship is docked already."  
  
"All right. Make sure she doesn't escape." Sasami said, leaving the room.  
  
"Sasami! Think about what you're doing!" She heard Ryoko call to her before she left the room.  
  
"Princess...are you looking for the boy Tenchi?"   
  
"No, I'm going to the palace. Just keep Ryoko out of the way and Tenchi and the others won't even know I'm on the planet."  
  
"I don't think you're thinking this through, Princess."  
  
"Who are you to tell me that?" She shouted. "You stay here. I'll go by myself."  
  
The girl stomped away from the guards who had been closely following her and watched her walk into the crowded streets. They collectively sighed.  
  
  
Sasami made her way through the crowds easily. She was still relatively small and the traders usually cleared the way for well dressed people. Sasami knew the way to the palace with her eyes closed, but she never remembered Jurai looking so unkept. She sighed and kept walking.  
  
Eventually she came to the unguarded gates of the palace and walked into the courtyard that she used to play in. It was overgrown and dying. The fountains were unkept and the once clear water was full of various kinds of algae. The stone statues were falling apart. Sasami sighed again. She wasn't expecting this. How could the planet be in such bad shape after only two years?  
  
Finally she came to the main building of the palace. She found it odd that there weren't any guards anywhere. She kept walking and got to the throne room where she found the "king" and "queen" sitting on the throne her aunt and father once sat upon.  
  
"What have you done here?" Sasami asked, walking into the throne room.  
  
"Oh, you. We were told you'd probably be coming for your sister." The king said.  
  
"I'm not here for her. I'm here to get the throne of my planet back."  
  
The two on the thrones began to laugh.  
  
"You knew that you wouldn't stay here. I told you. You've already ruined Jurai's economy. What else do you want?"   
  
"We don't want anything. Why don't you go visit your sister?" The queen said, shooing Sasami away.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sasami asked, knowing that they were trying to hide something.  
  
"We're searching for the rest of your family."   
  
"Why?"  
  
"So there will be no challenges to the throne, Princess."  
  
"There's no one left to challenge me, not with Aeka downstairs."  
  
"There's the crown prince. He's a bigger threat that Aeka."  
  
"Tenchi...?" Sasami asked.  
  
"Is that his name?"  
  
"You know it is. You leave him out of all of this. He has no desire to take the throne of Jurai away from anyone."  
  
"We're sure you're right, Princess. Why don't you go visit your sister now..."  
  
Sasami turned sharply and walked to the prisoner holding room downstairs. She knew that's where they were keeping Aeka. She couldn't believe that they were going to go after Tenchi. Her plans might have just changed...  
  
"Sasami!" She heard Aeka's voice before she really saw her.  
  
"Hi, Aeka." She said evenly.  
  
"You know what's happened? They're after Tenchi and Ryoko. I thought they were after you. How did you get down here?" Aeka asked.   
  
The elder princess looked tired and worn out. She had been held in the dirty cell for 3 days. Her execution was set in two days.  
  
"I walked down here, Aeka. I know what's going on. Ryoko's with me."  
  
"She is? Where is she?"  
  
"On my ship."  
  
"Where's Tenchi?"  
  
"I don't know. But I do know that they're after him. They think he'll challenge a claim to the throne."  
  
"A claim by whom? Those barbarians won't just walk away. They're worse than Ryoko."  
  
"By me, Aeka. And they'll do what I tell them to."  
  
"Sasami, what are you talking about?"  
  
"Never mind that, Aeka. It was good to see you again." Sasami said, starting to walk away.  
  
"Sasami, wait! What are you doing?" Aeka called after her.  
  
Sasami didn't answer her, she just walked back upstairs and didn't bother going back into the throne room. She simply left palace and headed back to her ship, running through the streets.  
  
"Princess, what's wrong?" The first guard asked her as she ran onto the ship.  
  
"Release Ryoko...I need her help."  
  
"What? But you told us not to release the pirate."  
  
"You heard what I said! Release her or I'll do it myself."  
  
"Yes, princess." The guard said, running back to where Ryoko was being held.  
  
Sasami sighed and sat back in a nearby chair.  
  
"What do you want, Sasami?" Ryoko asked, stopping in front of the girl. Two guards were grasping her arms, preventing her from teleporting away.  
  
"I want you to find Tenchi. I need his help."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because they're after him, Ryoko. He's going to need my help."  
  
Ryoko scoffed.  
  
"I'm serious, Ryoko. They're working for me, they won't go after him if he's with me."  
  
Ryoko didn't say anything.  
  
"Ryoko...please."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Sasami nodded.  
  
"Let her go."  
  
The guards released her arms and she stepped back from them.  
  
"Where's Ryo-Ohki?"  
  
"She'll stay here. Hurry Ryoko. There's only two days until Aeka's execution and if we're not careful, it could be everyone's execution."  
  
Ryoko turned, without saying anything else, and left the ship and began her search for Tenchi and the others.  
  
Sasami watched her walk off the ship and sighed as she swiveled around in the chair she was in.  
  
"Do you think she'll come back, Princess?"   
  
"She will, and she'll bring Tenchi back with her."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"You'll see..." Sasami said, smiling to herself.  
  
==============  
~End Chapter 6~  
  
Next:  
Chapter 7: To the Rescue  
  
A/N OK, how many of you annoyed with this story? I know some of you must be. Who knew I'd get the next chapter out so soon? Only one day...wow.


	7. To The Rescue

The Future - Chapter 7: To The Rescue  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N:  I was rather perturbed by a review I got from the last chapter, so I took a break for a while to recover emotionally. ::starts crying:: My fics DO make sense!! ::recovers quickly:: Anyway, read this chapter, read the next 2. Enjoy them, please. =) If not, I can take it. ::sniffles and starts bawling::  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 7: TO THE RESCUE  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Ryoko stood up and tapped her foot on the floor of Washu's lab.   
  
"What the hell are we supposed to do now!?" Ryoko shouted.  
  
"Yeah, Washu, what happens next?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
Sasami stood up from the chair after Washu had removed all of the wires and things from the time machine.  
  
"Well, I guess we never find out." The scientist said.  
  
"That's not very fair."  
  
"Well, there's no one left to put into the machine."   
  
"What about you?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Uh...how about Tenchi?" Washu suggested.  
  
Suddenly there was a glimmer in Aeka and Ryoko's eyes and everyone else stepped away.  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko said, heading toward the door of the lab.  
  
"Lord Tenchi!" Aeka said, following the pirate.  
  
Washu crossed her arms and shook her head.  
  
"Those two..."  
  
  
Up in his room, Tenchi was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It hadn't been two hours since he had left the girls downstairs to fight amongst themselves. It had been unusually quiet since then. He found himself wondering if they had killed each other.  
  
"Tenchi!"   
  
The boy tensed. He heard Ryoko before he saw her...or felt her. Suddenly he felt her arms wrap around him. She appeared next to him, smiling.  
  
"R-Ryoko? What are you doing?" He asked.  
  
"Come with me, Tenchi."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"To Washu's?"  
  
A look of fear appeared on his face.  
  
"Washu's? Why?"  
  
"Lord Tenchi!" Aeka's voice called from the other side of the door.  
  
"Yes, Aeka?" He asked as she stepped inside.  
  
The princess glared at Ryoko latched onto Tenchi, but quickly dismissed it.  
  
"Please come with me, Tenchi..." Aeka asked sweetly.  
  
"To Washu's?" He asked nervously.  
  
Aeka smiled and nodded as Tenchi looked at Ryoko who was doing the same thing.  
  
"I, uh, think I'll pass." He said.  
  
"C'mon Tenchi." Ryoko said, hugging him tightly as she teleported out of his room to the hall right in front of Washu's lab.  
  
"Ryoko!" Tenchi shouted.  
  
Aeka ran downstairs and opened Washu's door as the two girls dragged Tenchi inside.  
  
Kiyone, Mihoshi, Sasami and Washu watched the two girls drag Tenchi into the lab and they threw him into the chair connected to the time machine.  
  
"What's going on?" Tenchi asked, panicked.  
  
"Oh, nothing, Tenchi. Don't worry about it." Washu said, connecting the wires to him.  
  
"What are those for, Washu?"   
  
"Don't move so much, Tenchi." Washu said, pushing him against the back of the chair.  
  
"Don't worry, Tenchi. Its nothing bad." Mihoshi said cheerfully.  
  
Somehow that didn't manage to calm him down any.  
  
"This is going to tell us your future 5 years from now, Tenchi." Washu said.  
  
"What?"   
  
"We all have use the machine already and in order for us to know what's going to happen next, we need to see your future." Mihoshi said.  
  
"Its been rather interesting so far. Almost like a soap opera." Ryoko said.  
  
"So you kidnapped me from my room?" Tenchi asked, beginning to calm down.  
  
"Don't be so melodramatic, Tenchi." Washu said.  
  
"But-"   
  
"Hold still." Washu said, turning the machine on.  
  
"No!"  
  
-Tenchi's Future-  
  
Tenchi paced back and forth in the headquarters of Nagi's resistance group. They only had one day before Aeka's execution at noon the next day and he was getting restless. There were rumors that Ryoko was on the planet, there had been unconfirmed sightings of her. If that was the case, she'd have no way to find them. Sasami had also been seen on planet, though no one knows where she was now.  
  
"Tenchi?" Kiyone asked, walking into the room unnoticed.  
  
He jumped and turned around quickly.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Ryoko..."  
  
"What about her? Where is she?" He asked anxiously.  
  
"Come on." Kiyone said, turning around and heading into a larger room down the hall.   
  
Tenchi followed Kiyone into the room and saw Nagi standing over Ryoko. The two were talking together.   
  
Before Ryoko noticed that Tenchi was in the room, Tenchi did some noticing of his own. Ryoko's left wrist was bandaged and one side of his face was badly bruised. She looked as if she had been hit by a car.  
  
"Ryoko, what happened?" Tenchi asked, walking up to her and sitting at her side.  
  
"We'll leave you two alone for a while." Nagi said, heading out of the room with Kiyone right behind her.  
  
"Well, Ryoko?" He asked, genuinely concerned.  
  
"I was attacked, Tenchi. Its no big deal. Its nothing too serious." She said, dismissing any thought that she hadn't been hurt worse than this before.  
  
"But how? Why didn't you fight back?"   
  
"I did. I can't use my powers here for some reason. I had to walk here and I found you just by luck."  
  
Tenchi brushed her hair out of her face and smiled at her.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked again.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I'm fine, Tenchi."  
  
"When did you get here? We got reports all night that you were on the planet. I did hope that you would find us. I'm so glad that you did."  
  
"I would guess that I got here sometime yesterday." She said.  
  
"You would guess?"  
  
"Let's just say I wasn't exactly driving."  
  
"Where's Ryo-Ohki?" Tenchi asked, just noticing the cabbit's lack of presence.  
  
"She's with Sasami."  
  
"So you've spoken to Sasami. Did you bring her here?"  
  
Ryoko shook her head, a task that seemed rather painful to her at the time.  
  
"No, she brought me. She isn't the Sasami that left Earth, Tenchi. She's a little monster."  
  
"Sasami? Little, pigtailed Sasami?" Tenchi asked with a hint of humor in his voice. Ryoko must be joking...  
  
"Yes, Sasami. She's been working with the new King & Queen of Jurai. She orchestrated everything. The war, the exile, Aeka's imprisonment. You and I arriving here, trying to stop this from happening."  
  
"But why would she do such a thing?"  
  
"Because she was tired of living in Aeka's shadow. She wants to rule Jurai. I never would've thought it though..."  
  
"So she plans to have Aeka killed?"  
  
"That's not all Tenchi. They're looking for you. I think by now Sasami's plans have changed drastically. She released me so I could find you. I'm pretty sure she wants your help. I don't think she'd be stupid enough to turn you in."  
  
Tenchi sighed and placed his hand on Ryoko's. She blushed a little, but he didn't notice.   
  
"I guess there's only one way to find out." He said.  
  
"Are you sure? She's got a whole Army, Tenchi. And I can't help you." She said, indicating her injuries.  
  
"Let's go, Ryoko." He said, waiting for her to stand.  
  
She nodded and got to her feet and together they began to walk out of the underground fortress.  
  
"Where are you two going?" Kiyone asked sharply, catching them right before they reached the last door.  
  
"To see Sasami." Ryoko replied.  
  
"Are you feeling better, Ryoko?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"I'm fine, Mihoshi." She said, giving the Galaxy Police officer a warning look.  
  
Mihoshi looked over to Kiyone who simply shook her head.  
  
"Well, we'll go with you." Mihoshi said, wanting to see her friend again.  
  
Tenchi and Ryoko looked at one another and nodded.  
  
"C'mon then. We don't have much time." Ryoko said, leading them out onto the streets of Jurai.  
  
In hardly any time Ryoko had updated Kiyone and Mihoshi and they were at the docking bay where Sasami's small ship sat, waiting for them. Ryoko noticed the same guards as before as she stepped up to them.  
  
"You again..." The guard said.  
  
"I brought Tenchi back to speak with Sasami. Let us in."  
  
"The Princess isn't awake yet." He said.  
  
"Go wake her up, then. We don't have all day." Ryoko said, losing her patience.  
  
"Never mind that. I'm awake. Come in." Sasami said, leading them into a room large enough to accommodate all five of them.  
  
"Why did you need to see me, Sasami?"  
  
"I need your help, Tenchi. I need all of your help."  
  
"But why? I thought those goons *you* had take over the throne of Jurai were working for you."  
  
"They were...But now they're after you. That was never part of our agreement, so we have to go after them, Tenchi. To stop whatever they have planned from happening."  
  
"What about Aeka?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"If we stop those two, we stop her execution." Sasami said.  
  
"Why do you want to suddenly stop them? Are you finally feeling guilty about what you've done?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Sasami looked at Ryoko calmly.  
  
"Did you feel bad about anything you did? About all the people you killed?" She asked.  
  
Ryoko clenched her good hand tightly, resisting the urge to get to her feet and knock the girl out. Tenchi placed his hand on her's and shook his head and she only sighed.  
  
Sasami raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Are you going to help me?" She asked.  
  
Kiyone, Mihoshi, and Ryoko all looked at Tenchi.  
  
"What?" He asked them.  
  
"Its your decision, Tenchi. If you want to help her, I will help." Ryoko said.  
  
"We will too." Kiyone agreed.  
  
Tenchi smiled in spite of himself and nodded.  
  
"Let's go then."  
  
"Hold it." A voice behind them said.  
  
"Washu?" Ryoko asked, turning around before the others.  
  
"That's me." She said, walking into the room and taking a seat.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Sasami asked. "My guards are everywhere."  
  
"Of course they are. That's why I used my portal." Washu said, calling up her holo-computer and accessing the dimension in which she kept the large, sliding door. "I knew where you all would be and I simply used this once I was in range."  
  
"What are you doing here, Washu?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"I came to help you, of course. Did you really think you were going to get into the palace that easily? Especially you, Ryoko. Like you aren't well known on this planet."  
  
"So how are you going to get us into the palace any easier?"  
  
"Don't be so impatient, Ryoko. We have some things to discuss first."  
  
"Like what?" Tenchi asked.  
  
Washu looked at Sasami.  
  
"You've turned into a treacherous little brat, haven't you?" She asked her. "You better not try anything once we get to the palace."   
  
"Of course I wouldn't." Sasami said, rather annoyed that the scientist suggested it to her.  
  
"Fine, then we shouldn't have any trouble."  
  
"Then how are you going to get us into the palace, Washu?" Kiyone asked.  
  
Washu started to pull out all sorts of inventions from all kinds of dimensions as Tenchi and the girls watched.  
  
"I have these to disguise you. All of you." She said, holding up some rather regal looking clothes to Ryoko.   
  
"That should make it easy for you to get into the palace. We'll just make the geniuses think your from a neighboring planet who wants to initiate trade with them by suggestion of Sasami here. So that'll get you all into the palace. Once you're in there is a completely different matter. You're going to have to take care of the king and queen before you can get Aeka."  
  
"But if we wait..." Tenchi started.  
  
"Don't worry about that, Tenchi. You, Ryoko, Kiyone, and Mihoshi will take care of the king and queen. I'll go after Aeka and help her before its time for her execution, don't worry."  
  
"Yeah, right...don't worry." Ryoko scoffed.  
  
"You'll be wearing this." Washu said, shoving a small, camera-like object at Ryoko. "That's so I know what you guys are up to. Each of you will have one. They are undetectable so only you will know that you're wearing it, so don't draw attention to it, understand?"  
  
They all nodded.  
  
"Then there shouldn't be a problem. We'll go early tomorrow. We'll have plenty of time." Washu said, cheerfully. At bit too cheerfully.  
  
"You all can stay onboard, if you wish." Sasami said. "There isn't much room though."  
  
"I think it would be better if we went back, Tenchi." Ryoko said, ignoring Sasami's offer.  
  
Tenchi nodded.  
  
"We'll go back and we'll meet in the square at sunrise." Tenchi said.  
  
"Very well then." Sasami said.  
  
"I'll stay here." Washu said, smiling at Ryoko and the others.  
  
"All right, Little Washu." Tenchi said, walking off of Sasami's ship with Ryoko at his side and Kiyone and Mihoshi behind him.  
  
"Do you think we can trust her, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"I don't know. She didn't seem as bad as you said, Ryoko."   
  
"You only say that because she didn't have one of her goons knock you unconscious."  
  
"Well, either way, Washu is there to keep an eye on her now. Washu can take care of whatever happens." Kiyone said.  
  
"That's right. You see, Ryoko? There's nothing to worry about."  
  
Ryoko sighed and held onto Tenchi's arm as they walked through the crowds. Ryoko kept her eyes to the ground, hopefully avoiding any problems her presence might bring.  
  
"What's wrong, Ryoko?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Nothing...I'm just making sure no one recognizes me and decides to cause problems. Let's hurry and get back to Nagi's."  
  
When they finally did get back to Nagi's, she was waiting for them at the door.  
  
"What did you find out?" She asked.  
  
"We're going after Aeka tomorrow morning." Mihoshi said.   
  
"And the king and queen?" Nagi asked.  
  
"Them too." Ryoko replied. "They shouldn't be a problem."  
  
"Don't get too cocky, Ryoko."  
  
"Me, cocky?"   
  
Nagi only shook her head.   
  
"It's getting late and you all have a lot to do tomorrow. I'll show you where to sleep." She said, leading them all to their individual rooms where they all retired one by one.  
  
Tenchi found himself unable to sleep, which was usual for him. It wasn't what was coming the next morning. He wasn't nervous, but sleep just seemed to escape him as he walked into the main hall of the underground fortress.  
  
It was dark and cold, but that didn't really phase him much. He thought back on the last five years and wondered what exactly had gone wrong. Why had Sasami grown into such a cold young woman? Why was Aeka now a prisoner? Why did it seem that Ryoko was so much more vulnerable than she ever was before?  
  
"Tenchi? What are you doing out here?" Ryoko asked, emerging from the shadows, hugging herself to keep warm.  
  
"Probably the same reason you are." He said.  
  
"You can't sleep either...It would be much nicer if this place had windows. Then I could at least see the stars." She sighed.  
  
"Don't worry, Ryoko. The stars will always be there." Tenchi said as she walked up to him.  
  
"I guess your right. They've always calmed me, though. They seem to absorb anything that's bothering me." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
Tenchi only nodded and pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head, which caused the pirate to blush.  
  
"What's bothering you, Ryoko?" He asked.  
  
"Everything. Sasami, mostly."  
  
He nodded again.   
  
"She's just misguided now. I think she's seeing her wrongs already. She'll pull out of it..."  
  
"It's only a phase?" Ryoko asked, finishing his sentence.  
  
"No one can hate forever, Ryoko." He said sadly.  
  
It was her turn to nod.  
  
"You're right. There's always something to stop you, if you know what to look for." She said.  
  
"See?" He said, smiling. "We should get some sleep, Ryoko. We're both going to need it."  
  
She nodded, pulling away from him.  
  
"You're right." She said, smiling back. "I'll see you in the morning, Tenchi."  
  
She kissed him on the cheek and walked back to her room.  
  
Tenchi watched her walk away and sighed and walked back to his own room to try to get some sleep.  
  
===============  
~End Chapter 7~  
  
Next:  
Chapter 8: Mission Implausible  
  
A/n: Phew, long chapter!! The Tenchi kidnapping to Washu's lab played out longer than I thought it would. Two chapters left! Hope you liked this one. ^_^  



	8. Mission Implausible

The Future - Chapter 8: Mission Implausible  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N: I don't really have anything to say here...wow...enjoy the chapter.    
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 8: MISSION IMPLAUSIBLE  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Washu helped Tenchi out of the time machine as the boy only looked around. Ryoko had this rather elated look on her face, while Aeka looked as if she were about to explode.  
  
"What *was* that?" Tenchi asked, not quite sure what he had just experienced.  
  
"That was your future, Tenchi. You and Ryoko looked nice and cozy." Washu said.  
  
"Grrrr...how could you fall for her over me, Tenchi? And while I'm in prison about to be executed, no less!"  
  
"Um, Aeka...I haven't..."   
  
"Yet." Washu chimed in.  
  
Kiyone, Mihoshi, and Sasami stayed far away from this conversation and Ryoko was too happy to speak. She simply stayed where she was, glowing happily.  
  
"Well, now what? You're the last one left Washu. If we're ever going to find out what happens, you have to go into the machine too." Kiyone said, finding herself eager to see what happens.  
  
"Yeah, go on Washu." Ryoko said, momentarily snapping out of her daze.  
  
"I *can't* go." She said, not to happy with the fact that they all wanted her to use her own machine.  
  
"Why not?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Because none of you know how to operate this thing! I might never get out of it."  
  
"Get serious, Washu. We've watched you operate it. All you do is pull the lever. Oooh, hard."  
  
"Don't make me comment on that, Ryoko." Washu mumbled under her breath.  
  
Ryoko glared at her.  
  
"Just go, Washu." Aeka said, pushing her toward the chair.  
  
"What? No!" Washu said, starting to fight back.  
  
"I'd hate to do this to you, Little Washu..." Tenchi said, holding her down in the chair while Aeka and Sasami were connecting the wires to her.  
  
"Stop it!" Washu struggled.  
  
"Stop moving so much, Washu." Aeka said.  
  
"Is everything ready?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Sasami and Aeka nodded as they stepped away from Washu who was kicking and screaming in the chair.  
  
"Here we go!" Ryoko said, pulling down on the lever.  
  
-Washu's Future-  
  
Washu made sure that Sasami was wide awake before sunrise. She and the little princess had gathered everything they needed and set off to the empty square to meet Tenchi, Ryoko, and the others.  
  
"Where are they?" Sasami asked impatiently.  
  
"Don't worry, we're a little early. They'll show up." Washu said, going through the stuff that she brought to get it ready for the others when they showed up.  
  
"Who ever thought you'd be early?" Washu heard a voice behind her.  
  
"Its about time you showed up, Ryoko. We've been waiting here for you for a while."  
  
"I'm sure." She said, sitting by a fountain waiting for Tenchi, Kiyone, and Mihoshi to catch up.  
  
When they finally did, they all gathered around Washu, waiting for their instructions.  
  
"Take these." Washu said, handing Ryoko an extremely fancy dress. She handed two plain, long dresses to Kiyone and Mihoshi.  
  
"What are these?" Kiyone asked.  
  
"You are the guards of the king and queen." Washu said, handing Tenchi some clothes as well.  
  
"Ryoko and Tenchi? The king and queen?" Kiyone asked.  
  
Washu nodded.  
  
"They're the strongest, I figured they needed to get the closest to our friends." She explained.  
  
"You four get changed and we'll be ready to go." Washu said.  
  
The four walked off to get changed and Washu sat next to Sasami again.  
  
"Do you think they're going to be able to pull it off?" Sasami asked.  
  
"Of course, why?" Washu asked suspiciously.  
  
"You don't trust me do you? You're just like Ryoko." Sasami said  
  
Just as Washu was about to respond, everyone came back. Ryoko and Tenchi looking very regal in their own right, as Kiyone and Mihoshi moved uncomfortably in their uniforms.  
  
"Can we get this over with?" Ryoko asked, adjusting her dress. "I can't breathe in this thing, Washu. Could you have made it any tighter?"  
  
"I could have...but I didn't think Tenchi would have been able to handle it." Washu said, starting to walk toward the palace.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tenchi asked, walking behind her.  
  
"Never mind. Walk with the queen, your highness." Washu scolded him.  
  
Tenchi stepped back and walked with Ryoko who was still too preoccupied with her dress to hang all over Tenchi.  
  
"When we get their, you four will go into the throne room with Sasami. I'll look around."  
  
"Do you expect them to just let you wander the castle?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"They would if the daughter of the king and queen of a neighboring planet who were prospective traders with Jurai wanted to see the palace." Washu said, taking off her lab coat to reveal a very plain, yet fancy, dress.  
  
"What?" Tenchi and Ryoko asked in unison.  
  
"Mom, dad!" Washu said, running to them.  
  
"This is NOT funny, Washu." Ryoko said.  
  
Washu laughed to herself and turned around and began walking again.   
  
"It's not meant to be. Let's go."  
  
  
Finally they got to the palace and found it much less of a task than they expected to get inside and to speak with the King and Queen of Jurai.  
  
"Your highnesses, King Keiichi and Queen Yumi from Yveena have come to speak of opening trade with Jurai." Sasami explained, leading Tenchi and the others into the throne room.  
  
"Why are you here then?" The Queen asked.  
  
"They contacted me, and I am bringing them to you."  
  
"Very well, follow us where we might be able to discuss this better." The King said, waiting for his wife to rise.  
  
"If its not too much trouble, is it all right if our...daughter Sayuri looks around the palace for a while?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Of course." The Queen said, smiling to Washu. "Sasami can show her around."  
  
"Thank you." Tenchi said, smiling as he took Ryoko's arm and together they followed the King and Queen of Jurai. Kiyone and Mihoshi followed behind them.  
  
Washu looked at Sasami.  
  
"That was easy enough. Let's go find Aeka." Washu said, waiting for Sasami to lead the way.  
  
Sasami only stood there.  
  
"Sasami, come on. We don't have that much time." Washu said.  
  
Reluctantly Sasami started down the hallway, toward the staircase that lead to the holding cells on the lowest level.  
  
"Aeka won't be guarded. She wasn't when I visited her. They don't view her as a threat." Sasami explained as they got to the cell.  
  
"Aeka?" Sasami called.  
  
"Sasami, is that you?" Aeka asked, as she saw her sister walk into view.  
  
Sasami nodded.  
  
"Oh, Sasami. I didn't think you'd come." Aeka said sadly, remembering her conversation with her sister a few days before.  
  
"Don't worry, Aeka. I'll have you out of here in no time." Washu said, taking scans of the bars.  
  
"Miss Washu!?" Aeka said, smiling. "Is Lord Tenchi here?"   
  
Washu nodded.  
  
"And Ryoko, Kiyone, and Mihoshi. They're dealing with the King and Queen at the moment." Washu said, calling up her holo-computer and typing numerous bits of information into it.   
  
In no time the door to Aeka's cell simply swung open.  
  
"There, that was easy!" Washu said, cheerfully.  
  
"That's all it took?" Sasami asked.  
  
"You sound disappointed that it didn't take longer. Anyway, we need to get you somewhere safe, Aeka." Washu said.  
  
"There's a small, hidden room next to the room that Tenchi and the others went into. We can go there. The King and Queen don't know about it. Our parents didn't even know about it." Sasami explained.  
  
Washu nodded and they all headed to a small bookcase that Sasami opened easily. All three girls slipped inside unnoticed and found themselves in a dark room on the other side of a two-way mirror.  
  
"How old fashioned." Washu whispered.  
  
The three girls sat quietly, looking through the window at the scene that played out in the next room.  
  
  
Ryoko suddenly remembered why she had never become a diplomat. She was ready to fall asleep. Tenchi had to repeatedly nudge her to keep her alert. She just wished Washu had come up with a way to tell them when she had freed Aeka. This was ridiculous.  
  
"We honestly don't know why you even showed up here to negotiate this." The King said. "Jurai is a planet of open trade. You don't need special permission."  
  
"We felt that it would be appropriate to contact you. Princess Sasami advised us to speak to you in person."  
  
"Did she?" The Queen asked sharply.  
  
Ryoko nodded.  
  
"She felt that our planet and yours could greatly benefit from each other."   
  
She shifted uncomfortably, sitting as she had been for hours, she just wanted to relax in a nice hot spring...  
  
The King and Queen nod in agreement.  
  
"Sasami sent you here to replace us, didn't she?"  
  
Ryoko and Tenchi look at each other, then back to Kiyone and Mihoshi.  
  
"What do you mean?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Don't play us for fools. That little brat has been trying to get rid of us since she arrived on Jurai. I didn't think she'd try to replace us with some cutesy couple like you two." The Queen snapped.  
  
  
In the secret room, Washu, Aeka, and Sasami were listening to everything being said between Ryoko, Tenchi, and the King and Queen of Jurai.  
  
"I'm a brat, huh?" Sasami whispered harshly. "What's Tenchi waiting for? He could take them on right now."  
  
"Shh, Sasami be quiet." Aeka scolded.  
  
"They're in for some trouble." Washu said quietly.  
  
"What do you mean, Washu?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Shhh."  
  
  
"We don't know what you're talking about." Ryoko said, standing up.  
  
"You know perfectly well." The King said, standing up to her eye level.  
  
"What if we were here to challenge you?" Tenchi said, standing up as well.  
  
"We knew it." The Queen said.  
  
"Perhaps everyone should calm down." Kiyone said, placing her hand near her blaster, just in case.  
  
"Who are you to address us?" The Queen asked.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Just get out of here now and never come back, and you might live to see another day." Ryoko said menacingly.  
  
"What can you do?" The King asked.  
  
"Do you really want to find out?" Ryoko growled.  
  
"Ryoko, don't..." Tenchi said.  
  
"'Ryoko?'" The King asked. "The space pirate?"  
  
"What's it to you?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Then you must be the boy Tenchi that we've been looking for." The Queen said, turning to Tenchi.  
  
"Just leave and give Jurai back to the *real* Royal Family." Tenchi said, placing his hand on the hilt of the Tenchi-ken.  
  
"I don't think so." The King said, suddenly pulling a sword similar to the Tenchi-ken and resting the blade at Tenchi's throat.  
  
"Tenchi, no!" Ryoko said, igniting her sword.  
  
The King laughed.  
  
"The little space whore wants to fight." He said between evil cackles, distracting himself from Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi took the opportunity to get away from him and he pulled out the Tenchi-ken, igniting it.  
  
"You better watch what you say to her." Tenchi said, staring the King in the eyes.  
  
Kiyone and Mihoshi had their hands full fighting the guards that the King and Queen had called in, while Ryoko kept the Queen at a distance from Tenchi and the King.  
  
"Let's settle this then." The King said.  
  
"Gladly." Tenchi said.  
  
"Be careful Tenchi." Ryoko said calmly.  
  
"Don't worry about me." He said, stepping into the main hall, followed by the King of Jurai.  
  
"This is the perfect time to go help them." Washu said, looking at Aeka and Sasami.  
  
"What are we supposed to do?" Aeka asked.  
  
"Just go. Take these." Washu said, handing each of them a blaster. "I'm sure you both know how to use them."   
  
The two princesses nodded and left the small room through the entrance into the room where Ryoko was holding the Queen.  
  
"Aeka? Where's Washu?" Ryoko asked, looking around.  
  
"She's in there. She's working on something. How's Tenchi doing?" Aeka asked.  
  
"I don't know." Ryoko said.  
  
"He'll soon be like all of you. Our prisoners to do what we want with." The Queen said.  
  
"Shut up." Ryoko countered.  
  
"We got all of the guard that's anywhere near the palace, I think." Kiyone said, running into the room from a back entrance.  
  
"Where's Tenchi?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"Out there." Aeka said, pointing through the large crack in the doors that lead to the main hall.  
  
  
Washu quickly accessed the view from the camera on Tenchi's lapel. If she could get a good enough position lock on this "king" of Jurai, she would be able to get rid of him without anyone getting hurt.  
  
"You're a foolish boy." The King said to Tenchi, re-igniting the sword.  
  
"If you knew how many times I've heard that..." Tenchi said, re-igniting the Tenchi-ken.  
  
"Come on then." The King said, lunging at Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi easily dodged the King's attack and they proceeded to fight. Faster and more elaborate with every clash.  
  
Washu watched all of this from Tenchi's point of view, noticing that the King wasn't much of a fighter.  
  
"He's up to something..." Washu mumbled to herself, positioning the entrance to the subspace portal directly behind the King.   
  
She stood up and went into the room with the others.   
  
"Get Tenchi back in here, Ryoko." Washu said.  
  
"What about her?"   
  
"I'll take care of her. Just go get Tenchi." Washu said, looking down at her computer screen to make sure the coordinates were the same.  
  
Ryoko nodded and went into the main hall.  
  
"Ryoko, what are you doing out here?" Tenchi asked, fighting off an attack from the King.  
  
"Get back into the room, Tenchi." Ryoko said, pointing to the room everyone else was in.  
  
"What? Are you joking?"   
  
"No, Tenchi, go now!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just do it!" Ryoko said, getting impatient.   
  
"Ryoko, I can't argue with you right now." Tenchi said, suddenly turning the wrong way; he tripped over his own feet.  
  
"Stupid boy...you let yourself get distracted so easily." The King said, lifting the sword over his head, ready to strike at Tenchi while he was still on the ground.  
  
"Now Washu!! Whatever you were going to do, do it NOW!!" Ryoko shouted, teleporting to Tenchi, igniting her own sword.   
  
Washu swiftly typed in the code to open the subspace portal as Ryoko blocked the King's attack.  
  
Suddenly the portal opened, pulling the King off his feet. He grabbed the first thing he could, which happened to be Ryoko's arm...  
  
"Tenchi!" She shouted, trying to get away.  
  
"Ryoko!" Tenchi said, grabbing her other arm, pulling her back.  
  
"Washu, he's got Ryoko!" Sasami shouted from the door.  
  
Washu continued to type, seemingly not hearing the girl's statement.  
  
Ryoko suddenly managed to kick the King away and he was pulled into subspace. Ryoko grabbed onto Tenchi and teleported into the room off of the main hall, collapsing as soon as she reappeared with Tenchi.  
  
"Ryoko, are you all right?" Tenchi asked, sitting her up.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Its so much fun being pulled apart like that." She said, holding her shoulder.  
  
"What did you DO?" The Queen shrieked, standing up.  
  
Aeka kept the blaster pointed at her.  
  
"Maybe she should join him, Washu." Ryoko said, standing up.  
  
"That could be arranged." Washu said.  
  
"No, NO. I'll take my baby and we'll leave, don't worry about it." She said.  
  
"Let's go then." Kiyone said, leading her out.  
  
"Now what?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Now, we get Funaho and Misaki back here so they can start to clean up the planet again." Tenchi said. "You're welcome to come back to Earth with us, if you'd like. I'd understand if you'd want to stay here, though." He said to Aeka and Sasami.  
  
"Tenchi, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Sasami can stay to help, if she'd like." Aeka said, looking to her little sister.  
  
Sasami nodded.  
  
"Right now though, I just want to get some sleep." Washu said, yawning.  
  
Everyone else nodded.  
  
"Another adventure over." Tenchi said.  
  
"Let's hope it stays that way."   
  
==============  
~End Chapter 8~  
Next:  
Chapter 9: A Conclusion  
  
A/n: I got lazy and didn't feel like writing the details of Tenchi's fight so don't get too mad at me about that. Oh, and don't you just love that I didn't name the King and Queen. And if you're wondering about the pseudonyms I chose for Ryoko, Tenchi, and Washu...Ryoko's pseudonym "Yumi" comes from Yumi Takada, Aeka's Japanese voice actress. I just randomly picked her name. Tenchi's pseudonym was Keiichi simply because I like Oh My Goddess! and Keiichi and Tenchi have the same Japanese voice actor, Masami Kikuchi. And Washu's pseudonym, Sayuri, is from the book "Memoirs of a Geisha."  
  
I hope you liked this chapter...especially since I've been half asleep every time I've worked on it.   
-_- Zzzz  



	9. A Conclusion

The Future - Chapter 9: A Conclusion  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Disclaimer:  We all know the drill...the real disclaimer resides in Chapter 1.  
  
A/N: This is just a short little chapter to wrap the series up. This'll probably be my last series for a while. I think I'll stick to one shot stories for a while. This one is short because I have a story I've been dying to work on, so I'm not gonna spend too much of my time writing this.  
  
THE FUTURE - CHAPTER 9: A CONCLUSION  
By: Ryoko-chan  
  
Washu pulled all of the wires away from her and stood up.  
  
"Don't EVER do that to me again!" She shouted.  
  
She sighed as she looked around and noticed that everyone was too busy chattering amongst themselves to have heard anything that she had said.  
  
Eventually everyone started to leave and they all left Washu alone in her lab to do some work on some of her other projects.  
  
  
Ryoko and Aeka pulled Tenchi into the living room, each girl sitting on the side of him. Kiyone, Mihoshi, and Sasami came in to sit with them.  
  
"Well, that was enlightening." Ryoko said.  
  
"It certainly was. It proves that Lord Tenchi would do anything to save me." Aeka said proudly.  
  
"Um, Aeka...Washu was the one that saved you." Sasami pointed out.  
  
"That doesn't matter. Lord Tenchi was THERE...that's all that counts."  
  
"Foolish princess. He only felt sorry for you because you looked so pathetic in your little jail cell." Ryoko said, hugging Tenchi's arm.  
  
"You're the one that belonged in a jail cell." Aeka snapped back.  
  
"You better watch it, I'm the one that went looking for your little sister." Ryoko said, pointing at Sasami.  
  
"Aeka wouldn't have been in jail if it wasn't for Sasami." Mihoshi cheerfully pointed out.  
  
Sasami laughed nervously.  
  
"That's right...Sasami was quite the little villain, for a while. Then she just went all soft when Tenchi was in danger." Ryoko said, causing Sasami to blush.  
  
"At least we all end up together again in the end, though." Tenchi said.  
  
"We'll always be together, Tenchi." Ryoko said, resting her head on Tenchi's shoulder.  
  
"Ryoko, get off of Lord Tenchi." Aeka demanded.  
  
Tenchi sighed in defeat as the two girls began to shout.  
  
"Its too bad you couldn't have seen everyone's future, Tenchi." Sasami said. "Aeka had been a servant girl, Ryoko got captured by me, Kiyone had been promoted to a boring job, and Mihoshi had become somewhat competent."   
  
"Sounds interesting." Tenchi said. "Too bad I missed it."  
  
"I wonder if any of that was real though. You know how Washu can be sometimes." Kiyone said.  
  
"But Washu used the machine too, and Ryoko was operating it then. How could she have made that up?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
Kiyone shrugged.  
  
"I think everything was too intermingled to be one of Washu's tricks. It was very specific." Aeka pointed out.  
  
"That's true..."  
  
"I personally liked the part with Tenchi and me in Nagi's hideout at night." Ryoko sighed. "That was the best part."  
  
"I hardly got to be near Lord Tenchi..." Aeka pouted.  
  
Tenchi began to laugh nervously.  
  
"You two made a cute couple!" Mihoshi said to Tenchi and Ryoko.  
  
Aeka growled under her breath at her.  
  
"Don't encourage her!" She said to her.  
  
  
Washu typed furiously at her keyboard when Washu A and B popped up seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
Washu ignored them and continued with what she was doing.  
  
"What are you doing, Washu?" A asked her.  
  
"I'm working on a complex equation that will show me how to duplicate DNA in a matter of minutes instead of having to wait for the gestation period AND the maturation of the cells."  
  
"Good luck, Washu!" B cheered her on.  
  
"Washu's a genius!" They said in unison.  
  
Once the two little Washus were finished cheering, the real Washu cleared away all the confetti and started to type again.  
  
"When are you going to tell them, Washu?" B asked her.  
  
"Tell who, what?"   
  
"Tenchi and the others. When are you going to tell them about the time machine?" A asked.  
  
"Never. What they don't know isn't going to hurt them."  
  
"But Washu, why didn't you show them their real futures?" B asked.  
  
"Because they'll live their futures soon enough."  
  
A and B stayed quiet.  
  
"Go on now...go find something else to do." Washu said to them, never taking her eyes off of the computer screen.  
  
Once they had left, Washu stopped typing and sighed. She picked up the holographic imager she used to show everyone their "futures." It had been easy enough to manipulate the images into anything she wanted. She had had that particular imager programmed for quite awhile. She didn't want to know what the future held for everyone and she had known that deep down, nobody else wanted to know either.  
  
==============  
~End Chapter 9~  
  
A/n:   
I said this would be a short chapter. I don't know if it was even worth writing. Thanks for reading this series though. I hope you enjoyed it. I can't say that I enjoyed writing it, but it didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. ^_^


End file.
